EP1300340A1 - Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product - Google Patents

Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1300340A1
EP1300340A1 EP01830625A EP01830625A EP1300340A1 EP 1300340 A1 EP1300340 A1 EP 1300340A1 EP 01830625 A EP01830625 A EP 01830625A EP 01830625 A EP01830625 A EP 01830625A EP 1300340 A1 EP1300340 A1 EP 1300340A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tube
packaging material
jaw
contact surface
projection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP01830625A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1300340B1 (en
Inventor
Salvatore Capasso
Gianni Fangarezzi
Robert Bengtsson
Magne Karlsson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Original Assignee
Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA filed Critical Tetra Laval Holdings and Finance SA
Priority to DE60130216T priority Critical patent/DE60130216T2/en
Priority to EP01830625A priority patent/EP1300340B1/en
Priority to PT01830625T priority patent/PT1300340E/en
Priority to AT01830625T priority patent/ATE371586T1/en
Priority to ES01830625T priority patent/ES2291289T3/en
Priority to JP2002291167A priority patent/JP4291990B2/en
Publication of EP1300340A1 publication Critical patent/EP1300340A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1300340B1 publication Critical patent/EP1300340B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/723—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered
    • B29C66/7232—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer
    • B29C66/72321—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer consisting of metals or their alloys
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/34—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement"
    • B29C65/36—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction
    • B29C65/3604—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/34—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement"
    • B29C65/36—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction
    • B29C65/3604—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
    • B29C65/3656—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being a layer of a multilayer part to be joined, e.g. for joining plastic-metal laminates
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/34—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement"
    • B29C65/36—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction
    • B29C65/3672—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
    • B29C65/3676—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being metallic
    • B29C65/368—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being metallic with a polymer coating
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/431—Joining the articles to themselves
    • B29C66/4312—Joining the articles to themselves for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/737—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/7373—Joining soiled or oxidised materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/81411—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat
    • B29C66/81421—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat being convex or concave
    • B29C66/81422—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined characterised by its cross-section, e.g. transversal or longitudinal, being non-flat being convex or concave being convex
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/81427—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8141—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/81431—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the surface geometry of the part of the pressing elements, e.g. welding jaws or clamps, coming into contact with the parts to be joined comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/814—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/8145—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/81457—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the design of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps comprising a block or layer of deformable material, e.g. sponge, foam, rubber
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/834—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools moving with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/8351—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws
    • B29C66/83541—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws flying jaws, e.g. jaws mounted on crank mechanisms or following a hand over hand movement
    • B29C66/83543—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws flying jaws, e.g. jaws mounted on crank mechanisms or following a hand over hand movement cooperating flying jaws
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/84—Specific machine types or machines suitable for specific applications
    • B29C66/849—Packaging machines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
    • B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
    • B65B51/303—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes reciprocating along only one axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/74—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area
    • B29C65/745—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area using a single unit having both a severing tool and a welding tool
    • B29C65/7451—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area using a single unit having both a severing tool and a welding tool the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7162—Boxes, cartons, cases
    • B29L2031/7166—Cartons of the fruit juice or milk type, i.e. containers of polygonal cross sections formed by folding blanks into a tubular body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements, e.g. gable type containers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product.
  • the present invention relates to a heat-seal device which may be incorporated in a packaging machine for continuously producing sealed packages of pourable food products from said tube of packaging material.
  • a typical example of such a package is the parallelepiped-shaped package for liquid or pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is formed by folding and sealing a web of laminated packaging material.
  • the packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene.
  • the packaging material comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. a sheet of aluminium, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material eventually forming the inner face of the package contacting the food product.
  • a layer of oxygen-barrier material e.g. a sheet of aluminium
  • such packages are made on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material; the web of packaging material is sterilized on the packaging machine itself, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, after sterilization, is removed, e.g. vaporized by heating, from the surfaces of the packaging material; and the web of packaging material so sterilized is maintained in a closed sterile environment, and is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a tube.
  • a chemical sterilizing agent such as a hydrogen peroxide solution
  • the tube is fed continuously in a first vertical direction, is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, and is gripped and heat sealed at equally spaced cross sections by means of a heat-seal device.
  • the heat-seal device comprises two or more pairs of jaws, which act cyclically and successively on the tube and heat seal the packaging material of the tube to form a continuous strip of pillow packs connected to one another by respective transverse sealing bands, i.e. extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.
  • the pillow packs are separated by cutting the respective sealing bands, and are then fed to a final folding station where they are folded mechanically into the finished parallelepiped shape.
  • the tube portion gripped between each pair of jaws is heat sealed by heating means carried by one of the jaws and for locally melting the two layers of heat-seal plastic material gripped between the jaws.
  • packaging material in which the layer of barrier material is defined by a sheet of electrically conductive material, e.g. aluminium is normally heat sealed by a so-called induction heat-seal process, in which, when the tube is gripped by the pair of jaws, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminium to heat it locally and so locally melt the heat-seal plastic material.
  • induction heat-seal process in which, when the tube is gripped by the pair of jaws, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminium to heat it locally and so locally melt the heat-seal plastic material.
  • the heating means substantially comprise an inductor, which is carried by one of the two jaws, known as the sealing jaw, is supplied by a high-frequency current generator, and is substantially defined by one or more inducting bars made of electrically conductive material, extending parallel to the second direction, and which interact with and induce an electric current in the tube material to heat it to the necessary heat-seal temperature.
  • the inductor defines, frontally, two straight, elongated active surfaces extending parallel to the second direction and on opposite sides of an intermediate plane perpendicular to the first direction. More specifically, the active surfaces are located in respective front contact surfaces of the sealing jaw, extending on opposite sides of and parallel to said intermediate plane and separated by a central recess, and have continuous or segmented longitudinal projections projecting towards the packaging material.
  • the other jaw known as the counterjaw
  • a cutting member carried, for example, by one of the two jaws, normally the counterjaw, is activated and which interacts with the tube of packaging material to cut the tube along the center line of the transverse sealing band between the sealing lines, and so cut a pillow pack off the bottom end of the tube of packaging material.
  • the bottom end being sealed transversely, the jaws, on reaching the bottom dead-center position, can be opened to avoid interfering with the top portion of the tube.
  • a device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed along a feed path comprising at least one first and at least one second jaw having sealing means and pressure means respectively, and movable towards each other in a direction crosswise to said feed path to grip said tube at a relative cross section and to seal the tube along said cross section; said first jaw defining at least one first contact surface cooperating with said tube of packaging material and having at least one projection; and said pressure means defining at least one second contact surface cooperating with said tube of packaging material on the opposite side to said first contact surface; characterized in that said second contact surface is convex, at least at said projection of said first contact surface.
  • Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a heat-seal device in accordance with the present invention.
  • Device 1 may be incorporated in a packaging machine (not shown) for continuously producing aseptic sealed packages 2 of a pourable food product - in the example shown, containing small solid particles (seeds or fibers), such as fruit juice or tomato products - from a tube 3 of packaging material.
  • a packaging machine not shown for continuously producing aseptic sealed packages 2 of a pourable food product - in the example shown, containing small solid particles (seeds or fibers), such as fruit juice or tomato products - from a tube 3 of packaging material.
  • the packaging material has a multilayer structure (not shown) and comprises a layer of fibrous material, normally paper, covered on both sides with respective layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene; and the side of the packaging material eventually contacting the food product in package 2 also has a layer of electrically conductive oxygen-barrier material, e.g. aluminium, in turn covered with one or more layers of heat-seal plastic material.
  • a layer of fibrous material normally paper
  • heat-seal plastic material e.g. polyethylene
  • heat-seal plastic material e.g. polyethylene
  • Tube 3 is formed in known manner upstream from device 1 by longitudinally folding and sealing a web of heat-seal sheet material, is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product for packaging, and is fed by known devices (not shown) along a vertical path A coincident with its own longitudinal axis B.
  • Device 1 interacts with tube 3 to heat seal it at equally spaced cross sections and form a vertical strip 4 of packages 2 connected to one another by respective transverse sealing bands 5. More specifically, device 1 heat seals each sealing band 5 along two spaced sealing lines (not shown) adjacent to the respective packages 2 connected by band 5. Strip 4 is then cut along each sealing band 5 - more specifically, between the relative sealing lines - to separate packages 2.
  • Device 1 comprises two or more pairs of jaws 8, 9 (only one pair shown in the drawings and described in detail below) which act cyclically and successively on tube 3.
  • Jaws 8, 9 are positioned diametrically opposite with respect to axis B, and are movable towards each other, in a direction C perpendicular to feed path A and therefore to axis B, to grip and heat seal tube 3 at a relative cross section and so define a relative sealing band 5 of strip 4 of packages 2.
  • jaw 8 comprises a front portion 10 extending crosswise to feed path A and to direction C, and having a central recess 12, and a substantially U-shaped front groove 13 engaged by a correspondingly shaped induction heating element 14. More specifically, front portion 10 is defined, towards jaw 9, by two flat longitudinal contact surfaces 15, which cooperate with tube 3 and are separated by recess 12.
  • Heating element 14 has a substantially annular cross section, has an inner cavity for the passage of cooling fluid, and has two straight, elongated active surfaces 17 which interact with tube 3, extend on opposite sides of and parallel to an intermediate plane ⁇ perpendicular to feed path A, and define respective intermediate longitudinal portions of contact surfaces 15.
  • Heating element 14 also has two continuous or segmented, straight, longitudinal projections 18, which project from respective active surfaces 17 towards jaw 9, extend substantially the whole length of active surfaces 17, and provide, when heat sealing, for increasing the gripping pressure on tube 3.
  • Jaw 9 comprises a supporting body 20 terminating, towards jaw 8, with two transverse members 21, which extend perpendicularly to axis B and direction C, are positioned symmetrically on opposite sides of intermediate plane ⁇ , and face respective contact surfaces 15 of jaw 8.
  • Transverse members 21 are fitted on the front, towards jaw 8, with respective pressure pads 22 normally made of elastomeric material and which cooperate with respective contact surfaces 15 of jaw 8, and therefore with active surfaces 17 of heating element 14, to grip and heat seal tube 3. More specifically, each pressure pad 22 is housed in a front retaining seat 23 - substantially U-shaped when viewed from the side - of respective transverse member 21.
  • Each pressure pad 22 comprises a first longitudinal portion 24 supported substantially rigidly inside respective seat 23 and facing a respective projection 18 of heating element 14; and a second longitudinal portion 25 supported flexibly inside seat 23 and adjacent to longitudinal portion 24, on the opposite side to intermediate plane ⁇ .
  • Each seat 23 comprises a longitudinal bottom surface 26; a flat first longitudinal lateral surface 27; and a second longitudinal lateral surface 28 facing lateral surface 27 and defining an undercut with bottom surface 26.
  • each pressure pad 22 rests on and is shaped to match respective seat 23, whereas longitudinal portion 25 forms with seat 23 two longitudinal, substantially triangular-section gaps 31.
  • jaw 9 For each seat 23, jaw 9 comprises two longitudinal front supporting surfaces 35, 36, which face jaw 8, are located on opposite sides of seat 23 with reference to feed path A, and slope with respect to intermediate plane ⁇ so as to converge inwards of relative pressure pad 22.
  • Surfaces 35 are adjacent to each other on opposite sides of intermediate plane ⁇ ; and intermediate transverse portions of surfaces 36 define respective recesses, grooves or projections which interact with the longitudinal seal along the intermediate portion of tube 3 of packaging material where the longitudinal edges of tube 3 overlap.
  • Each pressure pad 22 is defined by a front contact surface 38 which interacts with tube 3 and faces relative contact surface 15 of jaw 8; and by a flat rear surface 39 resting on bottom surface 26 of respective seat 23.
  • contact surface 38 of each pressure pad 22 is convex to ensure, at relative projection 18, a sufficiently high initial gripping pressure on tube 3 to expel any solid particles, such as fibers or seeds, in the food product from the sealing area.
  • contact surface 38 of each pressure pad 22 is arc-shaped, and defines a maximum-projection point M, towards jaw 8, offset slightly with respect to relative projection 18 in the direction of feed path A. More specifically, when tube 3 is gripped by jaws 8, 9, point M of each contact surface 38 is located adjacent to relative projection 18, on the opposite side to recess 12.
  • Each pressure pad 22 defines two lateral lips 40, 41 resting on respective supporting surfaces 35, 36; and lip 41 tapers towards its lateral end edge.
  • heating element 14 is supplied to heat seal the packaging material of band 5 along two sealing lines.
  • tube 3 of packaging material is initially gripped between contact surfaces 15, 38 at particularly high pressure to expel the pourable food product and any solid particles contained in it from the sealing area.
  • the packaging material of tube 3 is practically "wrung" between projections 18 of heating element 14 and the corresponding convex portions of contact surfaces 38 of pressure pads 22, to expel the pourable food product and any solid particles contained it from the sealing area.
  • Expulsion of the food product from the sealing area is also assisted by reducing the gripping pressure on tube 3 between longitudinal portion 24 and longitudinal portion 25 of each pressure pad 22. That is, being supported substantially rigidly inside respective seats 23 and interacting with projections 18, longitudinal portions 24 of pressure pads 22 exert much greater pressure on tube 3 than longitudinal portions 25 of pads 22, which are supported flexibly inside respective seats 23 by virtue of longitudinal gaps 31.
  • each active surface 17 of heating element 14 may have a number of projections 18; and jaw 8 may house a number of heating elements or inductors to define two pairs of active surfaces, each possibly having continuous or segmented longitudinal projections.
  • heat-seal device 1 may advantageously be incorporated in packaging machines in which the cross sections of tube 3 of packaging material are cut before being heat sealed.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Package Closures (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)

Abstract

There is described a device (1) for heat sealing a tube (3) of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed along a feed path (A). The device (1) has at least one first and at least one second jaw (8, 9) having sealing means (14) and pressure means (22) respectively, and movable towards each other in a direction (C) crosswise to the feed path (A) to grip the tube (3) at a relative cross section and to seal the tube along the cross section; the first jaw (8) defines at least one first contact surface (15) cooperating with the tube (3) of packaging material and having at least one projection (18); and the pressure means (22) define at least one second contact surface (38) cooperating with the tube (3) of packaging material on the opposite side to the first contact surface (15), and which is convex at least at the projection (18) of the first contact surface (15).

Description

  • The present invention relates to a device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product.
  • More specifically, the present invention relates to a heat-seal device which may be incorporated in a packaging machine for continuously producing sealed packages of pourable food products from said tube of packaging material.
  • Many pourable food products, such as fruit juice, pasteurized or UHT (ultra-high-temperature processed) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material.
  • A typical example of such a package is the parallelepiped-shaped package for liquid or pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark), which is formed by folding and sealing a web of laminated packaging material. The packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene.
  • In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products such as UHT milk, the packaging material comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. a sheet of aluminium, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material eventually forming the inner face of the package contacting the food product.
  • As is known, such packages are made on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material; the web of packaging material is sterilized on the packaging machine itself, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as a hydrogen peroxide solution, which, after sterilization, is removed, e.g. vaporized by heating, from the surfaces of the packaging material; and the web of packaging material so sterilized is maintained in a closed sterile environment, and is folded and sealed longitudinally to form a tube.
  • The tube is fed continuously in a first vertical direction, is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, and is gripped and heat sealed at equally spaced cross sections by means of a heat-seal device.
  • More specifically, the heat-seal device comprises two or more pairs of jaws, which act cyclically and successively on the tube and heat seal the packaging material of the tube to form a continuous strip of pillow packs connected to one another by respective transverse sealing bands, i.e. extending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.
  • The pillow packs are separated by cutting the respective sealing bands, and are then fed to a final folding station where they are folded mechanically into the finished parallelepiped shape.
  • The tube portion gripped between each pair of jaws is heat sealed by heating means carried by one of the jaws and for locally melting the two layers of heat-seal plastic material gripped between the jaws.
  • More specifically, packaging material in which the layer of barrier material is defined by a sheet of electrically conductive material, e.g. aluminium, is normally heat sealed by a so-called induction heat-seal process, in which, when the tube is gripped by the pair of jaws, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminium to heat it locally and so locally melt the heat-seal plastic material.
  • More specifically, in induction heat sealing, the heating means substantially comprise an inductor, which is carried by one of the two jaws, known as the sealing jaw, is supplied by a high-frequency current generator, and is substantially defined by one or more inducting bars made of electrically conductive material, extending parallel to the second direction, and which interact with and induce an electric current in the tube material to heat it to the necessary heat-seal temperature.
  • In the commonest known embodiment, the inductor defines, frontally, two straight, elongated active surfaces extending parallel to the second direction and on opposite sides of an intermediate plane perpendicular to the first direction. More specifically, the active surfaces are located in respective front contact surfaces of the sealing jaw, extending on opposite sides of and parallel to said intermediate plane and separated by a central recess, and have continuous or segmented longitudinal projections projecting towards the packaging material.
  • The other jaw, known as the counterjaw, has two pressure pads made of elastomeric material, extending on opposite sides of and parallel to the intermediate plane, and having respective flat front contact surfaces, which cooperate with the respective front contact surfaces of the sealing jaw, and therefore with the respective active surfaces of the inductor, to heat seal the tube along respective sealing lines defining the transverse sealing band.
  • Once the heat-seal operation is completed, a cutting member, carried, for example, by one of the two jaws, normally the counterjaw, is activated and which interacts with the tube of packaging material to cut the tube along the center line of the transverse sealing band between the sealing lines, and so cut a pillow pack off the bottom end of the tube of packaging material. The bottom end being sealed transversely, the jaws, on reaching the bottom dead-center position, can be opened to avoid interfering with the top portion of the tube.
  • Though providing for good-quality seals, known heat-seal devices of the above type still leave room for improvement.
  • In particular, when packaging pourable food products containing small solid particles (e.g. fibers or seeds, as in tomato products), some of the particles may become lodged between the contacting portions of the two sheets of packaging material for sealing, thus locally impairing heat sealing of the packaging material. In which case, depending on the location of the particles trapped in the sealing band, channels may be formed through the sealed portion, thus endangering the sterility of the package.
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product, designed to provide a straightforward, low-cost solution to the above drawback.
  • According to the present invention, there · is provided a device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed along a feed path, said device comprising at least one first and at least one second jaw having sealing means and pressure means respectively, and movable towards each other in a direction crosswise to said feed path to grip said tube at a relative cross section and to seal the tube along said cross section; said first jaw defining at least one first contact surface cooperating with said tube of packaging material and having at least one projection; and said pressure means defining at least one second contact surface cooperating with said tube of packaging material on the opposite side to said first contact surface;
       characterized in that said second contact surface is convex, at least at said projection of said first contact surface.
  • A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a heat-seal device in accordance with the present invention;
  • Figure 2 shows a larger-scale cross section of a detail of the Figure 1 device.
  • Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a heat-seal device in accordance with the present invention.
  • Device 1 may be incorporated in a packaging machine (not shown) for continuously producing aseptic sealed packages 2 of a pourable food product - in the example shown, containing small solid particles (seeds or fibers), such as fruit juice or tomato products - from a tube 3 of packaging material.
  • The packaging material has a multilayer structure (not shown) and comprises a layer of fibrous material, normally paper, covered on both sides with respective layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene; and the side of the packaging material eventually contacting the food product in package 2 also has a layer of electrically conductive oxygen-barrier material, e.g. aluminium, in turn covered with one or more layers of heat-seal plastic material.
  • Tube 3 is formed in known manner upstream from device 1 by longitudinally folding and sealing a web of heat-seal sheet material, is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product for packaging, and is fed by known devices (not shown) along a vertical path A coincident with its own longitudinal axis B.
  • Device 1 interacts with tube 3 to heat seal it at equally spaced cross sections and form a vertical strip 4 of packages 2 connected to one another by respective transverse sealing bands 5. More specifically, device 1 heat seals each sealing band 5 along two spaced sealing lines (not shown) adjacent to the respective packages 2 connected by band 5. Strip 4 is then cut along each sealing band 5 - more specifically, between the relative sealing lines - to separate packages 2.
  • Device 1 comprises two or more pairs of jaws 8, 9 (only one pair shown in the drawings and described in detail below) which act cyclically and successively on tube 3.
  • Jaws 8, 9 are positioned diametrically opposite with respect to axis B, and are movable towards each other, in a direction C perpendicular to feed path A and therefore to axis B, to grip and heat seal tube 3 at a relative cross section and so define a relative sealing band 5 of strip 4 of packages 2.
  • With reference to Figure 2, jaw 8 comprises a front portion 10 extending crosswise to feed path A and to direction C, and having a central recess 12, and a substantially U-shaped front groove 13 engaged by a correspondingly shaped induction heating element 14. More specifically, front portion 10 is defined, towards jaw 9, by two flat longitudinal contact surfaces 15, which cooperate with tube 3 and are separated by recess 12.
  • Heating element 14 has a substantially annular cross section, has an inner cavity for the passage of cooling fluid, and has two straight, elongated active surfaces 17 which interact with tube 3, extend on opposite sides of and parallel to an intermediate plane π perpendicular to feed path A, and define respective intermediate longitudinal portions of contact surfaces 15.
  • Heating element 14 also has two continuous or segmented, straight, longitudinal projections 18, which project from respective active surfaces 17 towards jaw 9, extend substantially the whole length of active surfaces 17, and provide, when heat sealing, for increasing the gripping pressure on tube 3.
  • Jaw 9 comprises a supporting body 20 terminating, towards jaw 8, with two transverse members 21, which extend perpendicularly to axis B and direction C, are positioned symmetrically on opposite sides of intermediate plane π, and face respective contact surfaces 15 of jaw 8.
  • Transverse members 21 are fitted on the front, towards jaw 8, with respective pressure pads 22 normally made of elastomeric material and which cooperate with respective contact surfaces 15 of jaw 8, and therefore with active surfaces 17 of heating element 14, to grip and heat seal tube 3. More specifically, each pressure pad 22 is housed in a front retaining seat 23 - substantially U-shaped when viewed from the side - of respective transverse member 21.
  • Each pressure pad 22 comprises a first longitudinal portion 24 supported substantially rigidly inside respective seat 23 and facing a respective projection 18 of heating element 14; and a second longitudinal portion 25 supported flexibly inside seat 23 and adjacent to longitudinal portion 24, on the opposite side to intermediate plane π.
  • Each seat 23 comprises a longitudinal bottom surface 26; a flat first longitudinal lateral surface 27; and a second longitudinal lateral surface 28 facing lateral surface 27 and defining an undercut with bottom surface 26.
  • Longitudinal portion 24 of each pressure pad 22 rests on and is shaped to match respective seat 23, whereas longitudinal portion 25 forms with seat 23 two longitudinal, substantially triangular-section gaps 31.
  • For each seat 23, jaw 9 comprises two longitudinal front supporting surfaces 35, 36, which face jaw 8, are located on opposite sides of seat 23 with reference to feed path A, and slope with respect to intermediate plane π so as to converge inwards of relative pressure pad 22.
  • Surfaces 35 are adjacent to each other on opposite sides of intermediate plane π; and intermediate transverse portions of surfaces 36 define respective recesses, grooves or projections which interact with the longitudinal seal along the intermediate portion of tube 3 of packaging material where the longitudinal edges of tube 3 overlap.
  • Each pressure pad 22 is defined by a front contact surface 38 which interacts with tube 3 and faces relative contact surface 15 of jaw 8; and by a flat rear surface 39 resting on bottom surface 26 of respective seat 23.
  • An important aspect of the present invention is that contact surface 38 of each pressure pad 22 is convex to ensure, at relative projection 18, a sufficiently high initial gripping pressure on tube 3 to expel any solid particles, such as fibers or seeds, in the food product from the sealing area.
  • More specifically, contact surface 38 of each pressure pad 22 is arc-shaped, and defines a maximum-projection point M, towards jaw 8, offset slightly with respect to relative projection 18 in the direction of feed path A. More specifically, when tube 3 is gripped by jaws 8, 9, point M of each contact surface 38 is located adjacent to relative projection 18, on the opposite side to recess 12.
  • Each pressure pad 22 defines two lateral lips 40, 41 resting on respective supporting surfaces 35, 36; and lip 41 tapers towards its lateral end edge.
  • In actual use, when jaws 8, 9 grip the relative cross section of tube 3, heating element 14 is supplied to heat seal the packaging material of band 5 along two sealing lines.
  • By virtue of convex contact surfaces 38 of pressure pads 22 and projections 18 projecting from contact surfaces 15, tube 3 of packaging material is initially gripped between contact surfaces 15, 38 at particularly high pressure to expel the pourable food product and any solid particles contained in it from the sealing area.
  • In other words, the packaging material of tube 3 is practically "wrung" between projections 18 of heating element 14 and the corresponding convex portions of contact surfaces 38 of pressure pads 22, to expel the pourable food product and any solid particles contained it from the sealing area.
  • Expulsion of the food product from the sealing area is also assisted by reducing the gripping pressure on tube 3 between longitudinal portion 24 and longitudinal portion 25 of each pressure pad 22. That is, being supported substantially rigidly inside respective seats 23 and interacting with projections 18, longitudinal portions 24 of pressure pads 22 exert much greater pressure on tube 3 than longitudinal portions 25 of pads 22, which are supported flexibly inside respective seats 23 by virtue of longitudinal gaps 31.
  • Consequently, there is practically no likelihood of solid particles in the food product becoming trapped between the two contacting sheets of packaging material at the sealing area, and so forming channels through the sealing area.
  • Clearly, changes may be made to device 1 as described and illustrated herein without, however, departing from the scope of the accompanying Claims.
  • In particular, each active surface 17 of heating element 14 may have a number of projections 18; and jaw 8 may house a number of heating elements or inductors to define two pairs of active surfaces, each possibly having continuous or segmented longitudinal projections.
  • Finally, heat-seal device 1 may advantageously be incorporated in packaging machines in which the cross sections of tube 3 of packaging material are cut before being heat sealed.

Claims (6)

  1. A device (1) for heat sealing a tube (3) of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed along a feed path (A), said device (1) comprising at least one first and at least one second jaw (8, 9) having sealing means (14) and pressure means (22) respectively, and movable towards each other in a direction (C) crosswise to said feed path (A) to grip said tube (3) at a relative cross section and to seal the tube along said cross section; said first jaw (8) defining at least one first contact surface (15) cooperating with said tube (3) of packaging material and having at least one projection (18); and said pressure means (22) defining at least one second contact surface (38) cooperating with said tube (3) of packaging material on the opposite side to said first contact surface (15);
       characterized in that said second contact surface (38) is convex, at least at said projection (18) of said first contact surface (15).
  2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said second contact surface (38) is arc-shaped.
  3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said second contact surface (38) defines a maximum-projection point (M), towards said first jaw (8), offset with respect to said projection (18) in the direction of said feed path (A).
  4. A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said pressure means comprise at least one pressure pad (22) made of elastomeric material, housed in a respective seat (23) on said second jaw (9), and defined, towards said first jaw (8), by said second contact surface (38).
  5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said pressure pad (22) comprises a first portion (24) supported substantially rigidly in said seat (23) and facing said projection (18); and an adjacent second portion (25) supported flexibly in said seat (23).
  6. A device as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said first jaw (8) comprises two said first contact surfaces (15) cooperating with said tube (3) of packaging material; said sealing means comprising at least one heating element (14) carried by said first jaw (8) and defining at least one pair of active surfaces (17) defining respective portions of respective said first contact surfaces (15) and each having at least one respective said projection (18); said pressure means comprising two said pressure pads (22) defining respective said second contact surfaces (38) and facing respective said first contact surfaces (15).
EP01830625A 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product Expired - Lifetime EP1300340B1 (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE60130216T DE60130216T2 (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 Device for heat-sealing a packaging tube filled with a flowable foodstuff
EP01830625A EP1300340B1 (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product
PT01830625T PT1300340E (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product
AT01830625T ATE371586T1 (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 DEVICE FOR HEAT SEALING A PACKAGING TUBE FILLED WITH A FLOWABLE FOOD
ES01830625T ES2291289T3 (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 DEVICE FOR THERMOSOLDING A LAMINAR PACKING MATERIAL PIPE FILLING A FLUID FOOD PRODUCT.
JP2002291167A JP4291990B2 (en) 2001-10-04 2002-10-03 A device for heat-sealing a tube made of packaging material sheet filled with liquid food

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01830625A EP1300340B1 (en) 2001-10-04 2001-10-04 Device for heat sealing a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product

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EP1300340A1 true EP1300340A1 (en) 2003-04-09
EP1300340B1 EP1300340B1 (en) 2007-08-29

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EP (1) EP1300340B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4291990B2 (en)
AT (1) ATE371586T1 (en)
DE (1) DE60130216T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2291289T3 (en)
PT (1) PT1300340E (en)

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EP3241667A1 (en) * 2016-05-02 2017-11-08 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Improved induction sealing system
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US10994495B2 (en) 2015-11-27 2021-05-04 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Sealing device with increased robustness
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WO2005105579A1 (en) * 2004-04-29 2005-11-10 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Counter element and method of producing the same
CN100515866C (en) * 2004-04-29 2009-07-22 利乐拉瓦尔集团及财务有限公司 Counter element and method of producing the same
AU2005237936B2 (en) * 2004-04-29 2009-11-26 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Counter element and method of producing the same
US7640717B2 (en) 2004-04-29 2010-01-05 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Counter element and method of producing the same
WO2010020712A1 (en) * 2008-08-22 2010-02-25 Lamican Oy A device for seaming a package
US9422075B2 (en) 2012-11-09 2016-08-23 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Pressure pad and heat-sealing device having such a pressure pad
CN104768732A (en) * 2012-11-09 2015-07-08 利乐拉瓦尔集团及财务有限公司 Pressure pad and heat-sealing device having such a pressure pad
JP2015535511A (en) * 2012-11-09 2015-12-14 テトラ・ラヴァル・ホールディングス・アンド・ファイナンス・ソシエテ・アノニムＴｅｔｒａ Ｌａｖａｌ Ｈｏｌｄｉｎｇｓ ＆ Ｆｉｎａｎｃｅ Ｓ．Ａ． Pressure pad and heat sealing device having the pressure pad
WO2014072477A1 (en) * 2012-11-09 2014-05-15 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Pressure pad and heat-sealing device having such a pressure pad
US10994495B2 (en) 2015-11-27 2021-05-04 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Sealing device with increased robustness
EP3241667A1 (en) * 2016-05-02 2017-11-08 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Improved induction sealing system
WO2017191038A1 (en) * 2016-05-02 2017-11-09 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Improved induction sealing system
CN109070487A (en) * 2016-05-02 2018-12-21 利乐拉瓦尔集团及财务有限公司 Improved induction sealing system
US11534985B2 (en) 2016-05-02 2022-12-27 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Induction sealing system
US10899082B2 (en) 2017-07-17 2021-01-26 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Inductor coil for induction welding of a packaging material
US11370571B2 (en) 2017-07-18 2022-06-28 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Induction sealing device
US11548238B2 (en) 2018-09-10 2023-01-10 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Method for forming a tube and a method and a packaging machine for forming a package
US11820540B2 (en) 2018-09-11 2023-11-21 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Packaging apparatus for forming sealed packages

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EP1300340B1 (en) 2007-08-29
PT1300340E (en) 2007-12-06
DE60130216D1 (en) 2007-10-11
ATE371586T1 (en) 2007-09-15
JP4291990B2 (en) 2009-07-08
ES2291289T3 (en) 2008-03-01
JP2003155005A (en) 2003-05-27
DE60130216T2 (en) 2008-05-29

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